Water Meter Installation and Miscellaneous Fees
A cost study is conducted every two years to determine the fees that a benefiting customer will pay for various water installations (metered connections to the water system and hydrants being examples) and other services received. The study is reviewed by the Citizens’ Water Advisory Committee, and proposed changes to the fees become effective only after they are adopted by the Mayor and Council following a public hearing. On March 18, 2008, following a public hearing, the Mayor and Council approved and adopted (6-0 vote) the FY 2008 Miscellaneous Fee Study.
The current fees are listed below (effective July 1, 2008):
Installation Fees
Metered Installations
- New Meter Installation on Existing Service Line
Developer Installed Meter Box and Bricks
| Meter Size |
Current Fee |
| 5/8 inch |
$239.00 |
| 1 inch |
$295.00 |
| 1-1/2 inch |
$452.00 |
| 2 inch |
$537.00 |
Note: Installation fee for a meter in excess of 2 inch is determined by Water Department based on field conditions and provided in written quotation to the customer.
- New Meter Installation on Existing Service Line
Tucson Water Installed
| Meter Size |
Current Fee |
| 5/8 inch |
$299.00 |
| 1 inch |
$436.00 |
| 1-1/2 inch |
$663.00 |
| 2 inch |
$748.00 |
Note: Installation fee for a meter in excess of 2 inch is determined by Water Department based on field conditions and provided in written quotation to the customer.
- New Meter Installation on Existing Service Line With Automated Meter Reading Device
Developer Installed Meter Box and Bricks
| Meter Size |
Current Fee |
| 5/8 inch |
$379.00 |
| 1 inch |
$421.00 |
| 1-1/2 inch |
$604.00 |
| 2 inch |
$686.00 |
Note: Installation fee for a meter in excess of 2 inch is determined by Water Department based on field conditions and provided in written quotation to the customer.
- New Meter Installation on Existing Service Line With Automated Meter Reading Device
Tucson Water Installed
| Meter Size |
Current Fee |
| 5/8 inch |
$439.00 |
| 1 inch |
$562.00 |
| 1-1/2 inch |
$815.00 |
| 2 inch |
$897.00 |
Note: Installation fee for a meter in excess of 2 inch is determined by Water Department based on field conditions and provided in written quotation to the customer.
- New Meter Installation: Service Line Connection plus Meter and Pavement Replacement
| Meter Size |
Current Fee |
| 5/8 inch |
$2,105.00 |
| 1 inch |
$2,243.00 |
| 1-1/2 inch |
$2,594.00 |
| 2 inch |
$2,959.00 |
Note: Installation fee for a meter in excess of 2 inch is determined by Water Department based on field conditions and provided in written quotation to the customer.
- New Meter Installation: Service Line Connection plus Meter and NO Pavement Replacement
| Meter Size |
Current Fee |
| 5/8 inch |
$1,505.00 |
| 1 inch |
$1,643.00 |
| 1-1/2 inch |
$1,994.00 |
| 2 inch |
$2,359.00 |
Note: Installation fee for a meter in excess of 2 inch is determined by Water Department based on field conditions and provided in written quotation to the customer.
- New Meter Installation: MULTIPLE Service Line Connections at the Same Location (such as an apartment complex); 1 inch Meter for each Connection and Pavement Replacement
| Number of 1 inch Services |
Current Fee |
| 2 |
$2,926.00 |
- New Meter Installation: MULTIPLE Service Line Connections at the Same Location (such as an apartment complex); 1 inch Meter for each Connection and NO Pavement Replacement
| Number of 1 inch Services |
Current Fee |
| 2 |
$2,326.00 |
- New Meter Installation: MULTIPLE Service Line Connections at the Same Location (such as an apartment complex); 5/8 inch Meter for each Connection and Pavement Replacement
| Number of 5/8 inch Services |
Current Fee |
| 2 |
$2,448.00 |
| 3 |
$2,908.00 |
| 4 |
$3,316.00 |
| 5 |
$3,833.00 |
| 6 |
$4,178.00 |
| 7 |
$5,214.00 |
| 8 |
$5,622.00 |
| 9 |
$6,427.00 |
| 10 |
$6,835.00 |
| 11 |
$7,631.00 |
| 12 |
$8,039.00 |
- New Meter Installation: MULTIPLE Service Line Connections at the Same Location (such as an apartment complex); 5/8 inch Meter for each Connection and NO Pavement Replacement
| Number of 5/8 inch Services |
Current Fee |
| 2 |
$1,848.00 |
| 3 |
$2,296.00 |
| 4 |
$2,704.00 |
| 5 |
$3,053.00 |
| 6 |
$3,398.00 |
| 7 |
$3,846.00 |
| 8 |
$4,254.00 |
| 9 |
$4,707.00 |
| 10 |
$5,115.00 |
| 11 |
$5,563.00 |
| 12 |
$5,971.00 |
- Meter Installation: Construction Water Meter installed on Fire Hydrant for Contractor Use
- Water Meter Reservice - Re-installation of Water Meter Previously Removed: a) at Customer’s Request; or b) due to Non-Payment of Water Bill.
Water Service Fees
Main Extensions for Water Service
| Service |
Current Fee |
| Main Extension |
Contractor Cost Plus $375.00 Administrative Fee |
Non-Metered Installations
| Service |
Current Fee |
| Service Connection for Fire Protection |
Contractor Cost Plus $375.00 Administrative Fee |
| Fire Hydrant |
Contractor Cost Plus $375.00 Administrative Fee |
- Water Meter Installation Expose and Uncover Fee
- Fee, in addition to water meter installation fee, to expose and uncover service line connected to the water main.
- New Service Installation Cancelation Fee
- Customer requested cancelation of service installation.
- Disconnect Well Waiver
- In January 2006, Arizona State laws relating to drilling private wells (maximum production of 35 gallons per minute, known as an exempt well) were changed to place certain limitations on drilling private wells within the State's Active Management Areas. The revised law included four exceptions. Exception four was initially misinterpreted to allow an existing customer to disconnect from the water system and drill a well. The Disconnect Well Waiver fee was developed in response to that error in interpretation. Through discussions with the Arizona Department of Water Resources, the State's regulatory agency for well drilling, clarification of the revised laws was issued in April 2007. Tucson Water has implemented a policy to deny requests to disconnect from the water system and drill a private well. Therefore, because of this, the disconnection fee has been removed.
- Water Service Turn-on Charge
- Account activation fee for new customer at an existing location.
- Fire Protection (Sprinkler Service)
Initiate Service Fee
- Account activation fee for new customer at an existing location for fire protection service.
- Delinquent Service Charge: Customer Notice
- Courtesy notice delivered via United States Postal Service (regular mail) to property alerting customer of payment due date to avoid termination of water service.
- Delinquent Service Charge: Water Meter Lock
- Meter locked for non-payment of water bill.
- Returned Check (Insufficient Funds) Service Charge
- Backflow Prevention Permit
- Inspection of backflow assembly whose installation has been authorized by permit.
- Four Day Compliance Notice:
Potable and Reclaim Service
- Site visit after customer has failed to correct backflow or reclaimed meter-related deficiencies for which they have received prior written notice. The purpose of the visit is to resolve issues face-to-face and assure that the customer understands that he has four days following the visit to correct deficiencies or water service will be terminated.
- Backflow Compliance Fee:
Potable and Reclaim Service
- If the customer fails to correct backflow or reclaimed deficiencies after the four-day compliance notice, a site visit is made to discontinue water service. This fee recovers the cost of the field visit.
- Reclaimed Sign Replacement Fee
- Assessed for replacement of a Reclaimed Water sign.
- Ball Valve Installation at Customer’s Request
- A ball valve allows customer to turn off water on customer side of meter
| Meter Size |
Current Fee |
| 5/8 inch |
$35.00 |
| 1 inch |
$57.00 |
| 1-1/2 inch |
$101.00 |
| 2 inch |
$138.00 |
- Meter Relocation up to 10 Feet at Customer’s Request
| Meter Size |
Current Fee |
| 5/8 inch |
$670.00 |
| 1 inch |
$729.00 |
| 1-1/2 inch |
$790.00 |
| 2 inch |
$922.00 |
- Meter Relocation from 11 Feet to 20 Feet at Customer’s Request
| Meter Size |
Current Fee |
| 5/8 inch |
$830.00 |
| 1 inch |
$917.00 |
| 1-1/2 inch |
$998.00 |
| 2 inch |
$1,187.00 |
- Meter Accuracy Test at Customer’s Request
- Accuracy test (at customer's request) of a meter permanently connected to the water system.
- Meter Accuracy Test for Privately Owned Meter
- Annual test performed on privately owned meters (water truck mounted).
- Deposit: Contractor use of Tucson Water Construction Water Meter
Protected Main and Facility Programs
Protected Main. The protected main fee is collected by Tucson Water on behalf of the customer who originally paid for a main ("protected main"). This fee is assessed on the customer who is connecting to the protected main and is based on the lineal foot frontage of that customer's property, and the diameter of the protected main. Cost recovery is limited to 15 years and may not exceed the original cost of the main.
Water facilities other than distribution mains. The protected facilities fee is a unique calculation (for example: the percentage of the connecting customer's estimated total services to the number of services possible to be served by the facility multiplied by the total cost of the facility's construction), so that standard fees cannot be developed.
- Protected Main Fee
| Pipe Size |
Current Fee
(per Lin. Ft.) |
| 6 inch |
$21.86 |
| 8 inch |
$27.38 |
| 12 inch |
$32.98 |
| 16 inch |
$43.10 |
- Protected Main Service Fee
- Protected Main. A fee for administering the programs is also charged to the connecting customer.
| Current Fee |
| $76.00 per project |
- Protected Facilities Service Fee
- Protected Facilities. A fee for administering the programs is also charged to the connecting customer.
| Current Fee |
| $76.00 per project |
Miscellaneous Fees
- Plan Review Service: Developer/Contractor Required
- Plan review by Tucson Water staff assures proposed additions (pipelines, boosters, reservoirs) by private parties to the public water system meet Tucson Water and regulatory agency standards and specifications. The proposed fees require separate submittal of the master plan and the design plan for a given project.
| Master Plan Only: |
| First Submittal |
Current Fee |
First Sheet |
$277.00 |
| Each Subsequent Sheet |
$140.00 |
| Re-Submittal of Plan |
Current Fee |
| Each Re-submittal of Plan |
$157.00 |
| Design Review Only: |
| First Submittal |
Current Fee |
| First Sheet |
$417.00 |
| Each Subsequent Sheet |
$140.00 |
| First Re-Submittal of Design
| Current Fee |
| First Sheet |
$157.00 |
| Each Subsequent Sheet |
$70.00 |
| Subsequent Re-Submittal of Design |
Current Fee |
| Each Subsequent Re-submittal of Design |
$157.00 |
| Master Plan and Design Review: |
| First Submittal |
Current Fee |
| First Sheet |
REMOVED |
| Each Subsequent Sheet |
REMOVED |
| First Re-Submittal of MP & Design |
Current Fee |
| First Sheet |
REMOVED |
| Each Subsequent Sheet |
REMOVED |
| Subsequent Re-Submittal of MP & Design |
Current Fee |
| Each Subsequent re-submittal of MP & Design |
REMOVED |
- Plan Revision
- Revisions required on plan based on changes during construction of project
- Electrical and Control System Design
(Developer-Proposed Facilities)
- Tucson Water may provide design and construction documents for the electrical and control portion of Developer-required facilities.
- Pipeline Inspection Service
- Developer/Contractor requested or required, cost per foot of pipe inspected
| Current Fee |
$375.00 for first 200 feet;
then $6.00 per foot |
- Water Facilities (Non-Pipeline) Inspection Service
- Developer/Contractor requested or required, cost per project inspected
| Current Fee |
| $4,405.00 (per project) |
- Main Isolation Service
- Developer/Contractor requested or required; fee based on four valve minimum/maximum
- Oversizing Rebates
- Payments to Developers/Contractors for installing larger diameter pipe than required for their specific development
| Pipelines |
| From Diameter |
To Diameter |
Current Fee |
| 6 inch |
8 inch |
$11.05 |
| 6 inch |
12 inch |
$22.25 |
| 6 inch |
16 inch |
$42.48 |
| 8 inch |
12 inch |
$11.20 |
| 8 inch |
16 inch |
$31.43 |
| 12 inch |
16 inch |
$20.22 |
- Oversizing Rebates
- Payments to Developers/Contractors for installing larger valves than required for their specific development
| Valves |
| From |
To |
Current Fee |
| 6 inch |
8 inch |
$295.83 |
| 6 inch |
12 inch |
$1,273.33 |
| 6 inch |
16 inch |
$1,959.52 |
| 8 inch |
12 inch |
$977.50 |
| 8 inch |
16 inch |
$1,663.69 |
| 12 inch |
16 inch |
$686.19 |
For more information or questions about fees, call 791-5164.
